Controllable multitier fountain

ABSTRACT

An ornamental fountain comprises a housing which defines therein upper and lower chambers separated by a septum. A vertical duct member is connected to the housing to have its lower end in communication with the upper chamber. An open ended tube is disposed within the duct member and extends through the upper chamber and the septem to have its lower end communicating with the lower chamber. The upper end of the tube is disposed above the upper end of the duct member. Water inlet means are provided to the lower chamber. Also, water inlet means are provided to the upper chamber and are arranged with relation to the chamber to produce a spiral flow of water in the upper chamber and along the duct member around the tube to and through the upper end of the duct member.

United States Patent [191 Hruby, Jr.

[451 Nov. 20, 1973 CONTROLLABLE MULTITIER FOUNTAIN [7 5] Inventor: John0. Hruby, Jr., Burbank, Calif.

[73] Assignee: Rain Jet Corp., Burbank, Calif.

[22] Filed: Dec. 11, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 313,990

Primary Examiner-M. Henson Wood, Jr. Assistant Examiner-John J. LoveAttorney-Robert L. Parker et al.

[ 5 7 ABSTRACT An ornamental fountain comprises a housing which definestherein upper and lower chambers separated by a septum. A vertical ductmember is connected to the housing to have its lower end incommunication with the upper chamber. An open ended tube is disposedwithin the duct member and extends through the upper chamber and theseptem to have its lower end communicating with the lower chamber. Theupper end of the tube is disposed above the upper end of the ductmember. Water inlet means are provided to the lower chamber. Also, waterinlet means are provided to the upper chamber and are arranged withrelation to the chamber to produce a spiral flow of water in the upperchamber and along the duct member around the tube to and through theupper end of the duct member.

. 0 Claims, 2,2 win f u ss PATENTED NOV 20 I873 FEE CONTROLLABLEMULTITIER FOUNTAIN BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the InventionThis invention relates to liquid discharge devices, and moreparticularly, to multitier fountain assemblies.

2. Review of the Prior Art The water discharge nozzles shown in my priorU.S. Pats. Nos. 2,5 89,942 and 2,639,191, for example, were originallydesigned as lawn sprinkler nozzles. These structures, however, have beenadapted as shown in my prior U.S. Pats. Nos. 3,081,036 and 3,301,490,for example, to serve as nozzles in ornamental water fountains; as somodified, the nozzles are useful to produce the distinctive fountainpatterns shown in my U.S. Design Pats. Nos. 208,754 and 208,755, forexample. These fountain nozzles are characterized by a tubular bodythrough which water flows to an open discharge end of the body. Anelongated stem is disposed in the body and extends from the dischargeend of the body. The stem is loosely joumalled in the body so that it isfreely pivotable about a fulcrum point lying within the length of thebody. The stem is so mounted that it is secured from movement out of theopen end of the body. At least one annular bearing, through which thestern extends, is carried by the body at a location spaced from thefulcrum point and has an inner diameter greater than the diameter of thejournal at the fulcrum point. When the device is operated by supplyingwater to it, the water is caused to flow spirally along and around thestern. This liquid flow pattern causes the stem to gyrate, or pivot andrevolve, about the fulcrum point. The portion of the stem at the openend of the body thus rolls rapidly around the outlet opening to breakinto discrete drops the stream of water which passes between the stemand the body. The stem functions as a gyrating pendulum as these devicesare operated.

Except where the teachings of my prior U.S. Pat. No. 3,369,758 areutilized, it has not heretofore been possible to provide these rotarypendulum fountain nozzles in large sizes, such as for use in fountainsintended to be viewed from a distance.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention provides an improved ornamentalfountain assembly which is useful to produce the types of dischargepatterns such as are shown in the previously mentioned design patents,but in which the discharge pattern is substantially larger and moremassive than has heretofore been realized. These benefits are providedin a structure which is simple, effective and reliable. Also, due to thestructure of the present fountains, the relative proportions of variouscomponents of the discharge pattern may be adjusted or varied either asa part of a varying fountain program, or to produce the best effect forprevailing conditions at the time.

Generally speaking, a fountain assembly according to this inventionincludes a housing which defines therein upper and lower chambers. Thechambers areseparated by a septum. A vertical duct member is fixedlyconnected to the housing to have its lower end in communication with theupper chamber. An open-ended tube is disposed within the duct member andextends through the upper chamber and the septum to have its lower endin communication with the lower chamber. The upper end of the tube isdisposed above the upper end of the duct member. Water inlet means areprovided to the lower chamber. Also, water inlet means are provided tothe upper chamber and are arranged with relation to the upper chamber toproduce a spiral flow of water in the upper chamber, and then spirallytherefrom along the duct member around the tube to and through the upperend of the duct member.

In one embodiment of thepresent fountain, the tube is rotatablyjoumalled in the septum so that, during use of the fountain, the tubeperforms as the stem mentioned above with reference to U.S. Pats. Nos.2,589,942 and 2,639,191, for example.

In another embodiment, the stem is fixed in the septum to be disposedcoaxially of the duct member. In this case, the discharge patternproduced by operation of the fountain is similar to the dischargepattern produced by operation of the structure shown in my prior U.S.Pat. No. 3,645,449; in this discharge pattern a central plume of waterrises above the upper extent of an inverted coaxial cone of water. Inthis second embodiment, the discharge pattern produced by the fountaincan be comprised only of the plume, or only of the inverted cone, orboth, in any desired proportion relative to each other.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The above-mentioned and other features ofthis invention are more fully set forth in the following detaileddescription of presently preferred embodiments of the invention, whichdescription is presented with reference to the accompanying drawings,wherein:

FIG. 1 is an elevation view of the fountain discharge pattern producedby operation of a first embodiment of the fountain;

FIG. 2 is a cross-section elevation view of the first embodiment of thefountain;

FIG. 3 is a view taken along lines 3-3 in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a view taken along line 4-4 in FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a cross-section elevation view of a second embodiment of thepresent fountain;

FIG. 6 is a schematic representation of the water supply valving andducting for the nozzle shown in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is an elevation view of the discharge pattern produced by thefountain in FIG. 5 for one state of the valving;

FIG. 8 is an elevation view of another discharge pattern produced by thefountain shown in FIG. 5 for a second state of the valving; and

FIG. 9 is an elevation view of another discharge pattern produced by thefountain shown in FIG. 5 for a third state of the valving.

DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENTS Referring initially to FIG.2, a multitier fountain 10 includes a right circularly cylindrical basehousing 11 having an axis of symmetry 12. The housing is composed of abody 13, a top closure plate 14, and a bottom closure plate 15. A lowerchamber 16 of right circularly cylindrical configuration is formed inthe body concentric to axis 12 to open through the bottom surface of thebody and to be closed by bottom closure plate 15. An upper rightcircular cylindrical chamber 17 is formed in the upper extent of thebody concentric to axis 12 and is closed by top closure plate 14. Theupper and lower chambers are separated by a horizontal partition orseptum 18 defined by the body. 'The housing body and closure plates aresecured together by a plurality of through-bolts 19 and cooperating nuts20, as shown. Water is supplied to lower chamber 16 through inletopenings defined by a pair of coaxially aligned inlet nipples 21 whichextend through the side walls of the chamber to receive suitable watersupply conduits 22. Nipples 21 open to lower chamber 16 at diametricallyopposed locations of the chamber. The total water flow area of the twonipples is greater than the water flow area of an elongate hollow tube24 which has its lower end disposed in communication with the lowerchamber. A vertically disposed tubular duct member 25 is fixedly carriedby housing upper closure plate 14 in coaxial alignment with chambers 16and 17. The duct member has an open lower end which communicates withupper chamber 17. The upper end 26 of the duct member is also open andis disposed sufficiently far above top closure plate 14 that it liesabove thesurface 27 of a fountain pool 28 when fountain is supportedupon a floor surface 29 of the pool.

Tube 24 is disposed through an oversized hole 31 formed through septuml8 concentric to axis 12. An annular bearing member 31 is secured to thetop surface of lower chamber 16 concentric to hole 31 and cooperateswith a bearing collar 33 carried by the tube adjacent its open lower end35. The upper surface 36 of the bearing collar is spherically curved andhas a large radius of curvature for cooperation with the flat lowersurface of bearing member 32. A keeper collar 37 is secured to tube 34above septum 18 and is of larger diameter than hole 31. The spacingbetween collars 33 and 37 is sufficient that when bearing collar 33 isengaged with bearing member 32, as shown in FIG. 2, keeper collar 37 isdisposed sufficiently above the upper end of hole 31 that it does notmake contact with the bottom surface of upper chamber 17 during rotationand gyration of tube 24, as described below. On the other hand, thespacing between collars 33 and 37 is sufficient that when fountain 10 isnot in use, collar 37 cooperates with the floor of chamber 17 to preventthe lower end of tube 24 from moving into contact with the bottom oflower chamber 16.

Tube 24 is sufficiently long that its upper end 38 is disposed aboveupper end 26 of duct member 25.

The inner diameter of duct member 25 is substantially greater than theouter diameter of tube 24. An annular bearing sleeve 39 is carried bythe inner walls of duct member 25 at its upper end. The inner diameterof the bearing sleeve is greater than the diameter of hole 31.

As shown best in FIG. 3, water is supplied to upper chamber 17 through apair of inlet nipples 40 which extend through the chamber side walls tohave their outer ends disposed outside base housing 11 for cooperationwith the adjacent ends of a pair of suitable water supply conduits 41.Nipples 40 open to upper chamber 17 at diametrically opposed locationsof the chamber. Also, the nipples are aligned parallel to each other,but are not coaxially aligned. The nipples are disposed so that theyopen substantially tangentially to the circularly cylindricalconfiguration of upper chamber 17. Accordingly, as water flows intoupper chamber 17 through nipples 40, the water flows spirally around theupper chamber, and then spirally upwardly around tube 24 to bedischarged through bearing sleeve 39 and the open upper end of ductmember 25. The centrifugal forces associated with the spiral flow of thewater emerging from the upper end of the duct member causes such waterto be thrown upwardly and outwardly in all directions from the nozzleaxis to define a relatively large diameter, shallow inverted cone lowertier 44 of the overall fountain discharge pattern 45, as shown in FIG.1.

A nozzle assembly 47 is mounted to the upper end of tube 24 above theupper end of duct member 25. The nozzle assembly includes a body 48which defines therein a chamber 49 to which the interior of tube 24communicates. The lower exterior surface 50 of the body is configured toserve as a deflector for water emerging from the upper end of ductmember 25. A central, relatively small diameter nozzle tube 51 iscarried by the body of the nozzle assembly coaxially of tube 24. Threeadditional nozzle tubes 52 are also carried by the upper portion of thenozzle assembly body to communicate with chamber 49. Nozzle tubes 52 areall disposed at a common angle relative to the axis of tube 24, and areinclined upwardly and outwardly relative to the axis of tube 24. Asshown best in FIG. 4, nozzle tubes 52 are disposed at uniformly spacedlocations about the circumference of central nozzle tube 51.

During the operation of fountain 10, water is supplied to lower chamber16 through inlet nipples 21, and through inlet nipples 40 to chamber 17.As noted above, the flow of water in chamber 17 and through duct members25 is spiral flow upwardly along and around the exterior of tube 24. Thespiral flow of water along and around tube 24 causes tube 24 to begyrated about a fulcrum point associated with the lower end of the tube.Accordingly, tube 24 adjacent its upper end rolls around the innerdiameter of bearing sleeve 39. The cooperation between the exteriorsurfaces of tube 24 and the inner surfaces of bearing sleeve 39 producesrotation of tube 24 about its axis. Accordingly, tube 24 both rotatesabout its axis and gyrates relative to the axis of symmetry of thefountain. The rotary and gyra tory motion of the tube is accommodated bythe cooperation of bearing collar 33 with annular bearing member 32 inlower chamber 16. The annular bearing collar is urged into contact withthe annular bearing member during operation of the fountain by virtue ofthe pressure of water supplied to lower chamber 16.

The water which enters lower chamber 16 through inlet nipples 21 isdischarged from fountain 10 via nozzle tubes 51 and 52 of nozzleassembly 47. The water which is discharged through nozzle tube 51,because of the rotary and gyratory action of the supporting tube, iscaused to break up into a plurality of discrete unaerated water dropletswhich form a central, inverted cone upper tier 55 in fountain pattern 45symmetrically about fountain axis 12. Also, the water which isdischarged through nozzle tubes 52 is broken up into a plurality ofdiscrete unaerated water droplets by virtue of the gryatory and rotarymovement of tube 24. The water discharged from each inclined nozzle tube52 defines a corresponding one of three inclined inverted cones of water56, which cones collectively define the intermediate tier 57 of thethree-tiered discharge pattern 45, as shown in FIG. 1. Fountaindischarge pattern 45 is similar to the fountain pattern shown in myprior U.S. Design Pat. No. 208,754.

It is desired that the aggregate water flow area of nozzle tubes 51 and52 not exceed the water flow area of tube 24.

Workers skilled in the art to which this invention pertains willappreciate that nozzle assembly 47 may be deleted from the structure offountain 10, if desired. In such a case, water emerging from therotating and gyrating tube 24 defines a single inverted cone coaxiallyaligned with fountain axis 12, and composed of discrete droplets ofunaerated water. Alternatively, by substitution of an appropriatelystructured nozzle assembly for nozzle assembly 47, a fountain patternsimilar to that shown in my prior U.S. Design Pat. No. 208,755 may beproduced.

Best aesthetic results are produced by fountain when the fountain isdisposed on pool floor surface 29 so that fountain axis 12 correspondsto a plumb line. Appropriate leveling of the fountain relative to thepool floor surface is facilitated by the inclusion in fountain 10 ofthree positioning assemblies 60. As shown best in FIG. 3, thepositioning assemblies are disposed at uniformly spaced locations aboutthe circumference of nozzle 11. Each positioning assembly is comprisedof a lug 61 which extends radially outwardly from bottom closure plate15. An externally threaded stud 62 is passed through an oversize hole 63in the lug and is engaged adjacent the top and bottom surfaces of thelug in corresponding jam nuts 64. A circular foot 65 is carried by thelower end of stud 62.

By appropriate valving of the water flow paths provided to chambers 16and 17 through conduits 22 and 41, respectively, the water flow rates tothese chambers may be regulated as desired. In this manner, the rate ofrotation and gyration of the tube 24 may be adjusted for best aestheticeffects under particular conditions. Also, the size of lower tier 44relative to the other tiers of the fountain pattern may be adjusted byregulating the relative volumes of water supplied to chambers 17 and 16,respectively. For example, on a windy day it may be desirable to reducethe volume of water supplied to chamber 16 and to increase the volume ofwater supplied to chamber 16 and to increase the volume of watersupplied to chamber 17, as compared to the volume of water supplied tothese chambers during use of fountain 10 on calm days.

In a second embodiment of the invention, a fountain 70 (see FIG. 5)includes a base housing 71 which is similar to base housing 11 offountain 10. Accordingly, housing 71 is comprised of a body 72 and topand bottom closure plate 73 and 74 which cooperate with the body toclose upper and lower chambers 75 and 76 defined on opposite sides of aseptum portion 77 of the body. The closure plates are secured to thebody by through-bolts and nuts (not shown) similar to those describedwith reference to FIG. 2. Housing 71 and the chambers defined thereinare symmetrical about an axis of symmetry 78 for the fountain.

An enlarged diameter duct member 79 is fixedly connected at its openlower end to top closure plate 73 to be in water flow communication withupper chamber 75; and the duct member is concentric to axis 78. Anelongate, hollow, open-ended tube 80 is disposed coaxially of thefountain and has its upper end 81 disposed above the upper end of ductmember 79. The lower terminal portion of tube 80 is intimately receivedin a bore 82 formed through septum portion 77 so that the lower end 83of the tube is in water flow communication with lower chamber 76. Thecooperation of the lower terminal portion of the tube within bore 82 issufficiently snug that no water flow path exists through bore 82 oraround the exterior of the tube, and that the tube is held fixedrelative to body 72.

An inlet connection nipple 84 is disposed through the side walls oflower chamber 76 and has its outer end disposed exteriorly of thehousing for cooperation with a suitable water flow conduit 85.Preferably the elongate extent of connection nipple 84 is alignedradially of axis 78. Water is supplied to upper chamber via a connectionnipple 86 to the outer end of which is connected a suitable water supplyconduit 87. Connection nipple 86 is disposed through the side walls ofupper chamber 75 so that it communicates substantially tangentially withthe circular configuration of the upper chamber. Accordingly, waterintroduced into the upper chamber through connection nipple 86 fromconduit 87 flows spirally within chamber 75 and spirally upwardly alongand around tube through duct member 79.

The structure of fountain 70 illustrates a feature which may beprovided, if desired, in the structure of fountain 10, namely, that onlyone of water inlet opening may be provided to each of the two chambersin a fountain according to this invention. Whether or not one or twowater inlet openings are provided to either or both chambers isdependent, in part, upon the volume of water to be discharged by thefountain during use.

Preferably fountain 10 is connected to a source of pressurized water viaa three-way valve 88 interposed between a source water conduit 89 andconduits and 87 for the lower and upper chambers of the fountain,respectively. Valve 88 may be operated to provide communication fromsource conduit 89 only to conduit 85, or only to conduit 87, or to bothconduits 85 and 87. Accordingly, fountain 70 may be operated to produceany one of the three fountain patterns 90, 91 and 92 illustrated inFIGS. 7, 8 and 9, respectively.

Fountain pattern is composed of a single inverted cone 93 of water whichrises to moderate height above the top of duct member 79 to fall back tothe surface 94 of a fountain pool in which fountain 70 is installed. Theinverted water cone 93 is produced as a result of the centrifugal energypresent in water discharged through the upper end of duct member 79 inresponse to the supply of water to upper chamber 75 through conduit 87.During those periods when fountain 70 is operated to produce dischargepattern 90, no water is supplied to lower chamber 76 through conduit 85.

Discharge pattern 91 consists of a vertical plume of water 95 whichrises to substantial height above fountain 70 before the water fallsback to pool surface 94. Plume 95 is formed by the discharge of waterthrough tube 80, and therefore is essentially coaxial with fountain 70.During those periods when the fountain is operated to produce dischargepattern 91, no water is introduced into upper chamber 75 through conduit87.

Discharge pattern 92 is composed of the combination of dischargepatterns 90 and 91, i.e., the combination of inverted water cone 93 andcoaxial higher plume 95, as shown best in FIG. 9. To produce fountainpattern 92, valve 88 is operated to provide water flow communicationfrom source conduit 89 to both of conduits 85 and 87.

It should be appreciated that separate flow control valves (not shown)may be disposed in each of conduits 85 and 87 in addition to or in placeof flow control valve 88, and may be operated to produce fountainpatterns 90, 91 and 92. Where each of conduits 85 and 87 includes a flowcontrol valve in combination with three-way control valve 88, therelative proportions of cone 93 and plume 95 may be adjusted for bestaesthetic effects relative to each other, or individually, in thecontext of the particular environment of a given fountain at a giventime.

It should be understood that, if desired, one or more of water inletopenings may be provided to lower chamber 76, either at regularly spacedlocations around the circumference of the chamber or through the bottomplate of the chamber at locations symmetrically disposed about axis 78.Also, it is within the scope of this invention that two or moretangential water inlet openings may be provided to upper chamber 75.

Workers skilled in the art to which this invention pertains will readilyunderstand that modifications and alterations may be made in thestructures of the two embodiments of this invention which are describedabove while still using the teachings provided by this invention. Suchworkers will also understand that it is not essential to the practice ofthis invention that a nozzle assembly similar to nozzle assembly 47 bemounted to the upper end of rotating and gyrating tube 24, and that if anozzle assembly is used, it can be a nozzle assembly of the type shownin any of the previously issued patents pertaining to a rotary pendulumfountains and owned by the assignee of this invention. In this respect,many of the teachings of the previously issued, commonly owned patentspertaining to rotary pendulum lawn sprinklers and the like may be usedto advantage in the embodiment shown in FIG. 2. It will also beunderstood that, if desired, artificial illumination assemblies may bemounted to the base housings of the fountains of this invention.Accordingly, in view of the foregoing considerations, it will beapparent that the present invention is not limited specifically to thestructural arrangements described above, and that the foregoingdescription is not be regarded as limiting the scope of this invention.

What is claimed is:

1. An ornamental fountain comprising a housing defining therein upperand lower chambers having a septum therebetween, a vertical duct memberconnected to the housing with its lower end communicating with the upperchamber, an open ended tube disposed within the duct member andextending through the upper chamber and the septum to have its lower endcommunicating with the lower chamber, the upper end of the tube beingdisposed above the upper end of the duct member, water inlet means tothe lower chamber, and water inlet means to the upper chamber arrangedin relation to the chamber to produce a spiral flow of water in theupper chamber and along the duct member around the tube to and throughthe upper end of the duct member. v

2. A fountain according to claim 1 wherein the chambers and the ductmember are coaxially aligned along a vertical axis of the fountain.

3. A fountain according to claim 2 wherein the outer diameter of thetube is substantially less than the inner diameter of the duct member.

4. A fountain according to claim 3 wherein the septum defines a holetherethrough concentric to the axis which is greater in diameter thanthe tube and through which the tube passes to communication with thelower chamber, and bearing means cooperating between the housing and alower portion of the tube for accomodating rotation of the tube aboutits own axis andgyration of the tuberelative to the fountain axis.

5. A fountain according to claim 4 wherein the bearing means comprises abearing member carried by the tube in the lower chamber.

6. A fountain according to claim 4 including annular bearing meanscarried by the duct member adjacent its upper end for cooperation withthe tube, the annular bearing means having an inner diameter greaterthan the hole in the septum.

7. A fountain according to claim 4 including a nozzle assembly carriedby the upper end of the tube for receiving water from the tube and fordischarging received water from the fountain.

8. A fountain according to claim 3 wherein the tube is fixedly supportedin the septum to be coaxially aligned with the fountain axis.

9. A fountain according to claim 1 including separate water supplyconduit means connected from the inlet means for the upper and lowerchambers, and valve means coupled to the conduit means for controllingthe rate of water flow through the upper chamber inlet means relative tothe rate of water flow through the lower chamber inlet means.

10. A fountain according to claim 9 wherein the valve means is operableto supply water either only to the upper chamber, or only to the lowerchamber, or

to both the upper and lower chambers.

1. An ornamental fountain comprising a housing defiNing therein upperand lower chambers having a septum therebetween, a vertical duct memberconnected to the housing with its lower end communicating with the upperchamber, an open ended tube disposed within the duct member andextending through the upper chamber and the septum to have its lower endcommunicating with the lower chamber, the upper end of the tube beingdisposed above the upper end of the duct member, water inlet means tothe lower chamber, and water inlet means to the upper chamber arrangedin relation to the chamber to produce a spiral flow of water in theupper chamber and along the duct member around the tube to and throughthe upper end of the duct member.
 2. A fountain according to claim 1wherein the chambers and the duct member are coaxially aligned along avertical axis of the fountain.
 3. A fountain according to claim 2wherein the outer diameter of the tube is substantially less than theinner diameter of the duct member.
 4. A fountain according to claim 3wherein the septum defines a hole therethrough concentric to the axiswhich is greater in diameter than the tube and through which the tubepasses to communication with the lower chamber, and bearing meanscooperating between the housing and a lower portion of the tube foraccomodating rotation of the tube about its own axis and gyration of thetube relative to the fountain axis.
 5. A fountain according to claim 4wherein the bearing means comprises a bearing member carried by the tubein the lower chamber.
 6. A fountain according to claim 4 includingannular bearing means carried by the duct member adjacent its upper endfor cooperation with the tube, the annular bearing means having an innerdiameter greater than the hole in the septum.
 7. A fountain according toclaim 4 including a nozzle assembly carried by the upper end of the tubefor receiving water from the tube and for discharging received waterfrom the fountain.
 8. A fountain according to claim 3 wherein the tubeis fixedly supported in the septum to be coaxially aligned with thefountain axis.
 9. A fountain according to claim 1 including separatewater supply conduit means connected from the inlet means for the upperand lower chambers, and valve means coupled to the conduit means forcontrolling the rate of water flow through the upper chamber inlet meansrelative to the rate of water flow through the lower chamber inletmeans.
 10. A fountain according to claim 9 wherein the valve means isoperable to supply water either only to the upper chamber, or only tothe lower chamber, or to both the upper and lower chambers.